AN: Part 2 of this since someone inspired me to write more. No beta

Hermione watched from her window as Draco and his friends were walking back from their midnight swim from the beach. They were smiling and laughing as they walked back. She had never seen Draco really smile. She had never seen him look so happy and free.

Hermione had not returned back to England. She ended up renting an apartment near the beach. She wasn't sure what she was doing, just that going home wasn't something she was ready to do.

In the mornings she would swim in the ocean, feel the water wash over her body, almost calming. She would read in the afternoon, about anything and everything. And at night she would try a new hobby. She would knit, she would crochet, she would paint, she would try anything and everything to keep herself busy. She didn't want to think about her parents, her failure at returning their memories, and most of all, she didn't want to think about what was waiting for her in England.

She went to the beach in the morning for her daily swim. Her hair was in a braid and she placed her towel and wand on the sand. She saw Draco walking along the sand with his guitar playing some random song. She wasn't sure what he was singing, just that they all sounded all the same. He saw her and kept playing his guitar. Hermione turned to the ocean, but she felt her bikini top starting to slide off. She saw the ties were untied magically. She tried to cover herself and reached for her towel. She felt her bikini bottoms starting to slide off and quickly wrapped the towel around herself. She saw Draco walking away. She grabbed her wand and hid it her towel. She walked towards Draco and grabbed him by the shoulder.

"What's your problem Malfoy?!" Hermione yelled

"Morning Granger"

"I know it was you! Stop trying to undress me!"

"I don't know what you're talking about"

"Stop it Draco. It's not funny"

"I haven't done anything. In case you have forgotten, there are wizards here too in California. Leaving your wand in the sand is just inviting trouble"

Hermione pulled the towel around herself tighter and looked around. She followed Draco as he walked around the beach.

"Where's your wand?" Hermione asked

"Home"

"You don't carry it with you?"

"No need to, besides I'm very proficient with wandless magic"

"I've noticed"

"What are you still doing here Granger? Miss your flight again?"

"No. I just don't want to go home yet"

"That was dirty sending Blaise after me"

"He's your friend, he was worried about you. All your friends are"

"I doubt that"

"Blaise showed up after I sent him an owl. He was in Italy because he thought you died. Don't you care?"

"Mind your own business Granger"

"Malfoy, why are you being like this? I know my friends would be worried for me if I just disappeared like you did"

"And what exactly are you doing right now? Hiding from them?"

Draco was skateboarding down the boardwalk. He enjoyed feeling the breeze against his skin and the sounds of the ocean waves. He reached the end of the boardwalk when he saw her. He was shocked at her appearance and almost fell off his board. Hermione Granger had cut off all her hair into a short pixie cut.

"Granger" Draco said

"Malfoy" Hermione responded

"Almost didn't recognize you there"

"That's the point"

"You look…..good...it makes your eyes stand out more"

"Um thanks, I think"

"We're playing again tonight, you should come, have a beer and unwind"

"You know all your songs sound the same right?"

"Such a critic, I don't see you getting up on the stage"

"Maybe if you sang something good, I would"

Hermione ended up going to watch him perform that night. She had a few beers with him, and a few stolen kisses. She ended up going home with him. She woke up to the sounds of him strumming his guitar. She watched him play a few chords on his guitar and then quickly jot down something on a paper. He was sitting in swim trunks and nothing else.

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked

"Writing a song, before I forget it" Draco said

"Where's the loo?"

"It's outside"

"Outside?!"

"It's a bungalow, the bathroom is separate from the house. Relax it has running water"

Hermione moved to get up and looked for her dress. She didn't know what happened to it. She saw his shirt on the floor and put it on. She went to the giant french doors and opened it. She saw a smaller house next to the bungalow and went inside. She was surprised that it was an actual functioning bathroom with running water. She used the bathroom, splashed water on her face and went back into the house unsure of what was going to happen next.

She found Draco in the same spot. He continued writing and strumming with his guitar. He seemed possessed writing and playing. Hermione looked for her dress and put it on.

"I should go" Hermione said

Draco looked up at her and stopped what he was doing. He stood up.

"Don't go yet, you haven't had breakfast yet, well lunch now"

"Look, let's not make this awkward or weird between us"

Draco walked up to her, brushing his knuckles against her cheek. He leaned in and kissed her, his hands roaming down her body.

"Nothing is going to be awkward between us again" Draco said as he pushed her down onto the bed

"Draco, what happened between us-"

"I don't regret it, do you?"

"No"

"Good"

"But-"

"No, I've spent all this time doing what other people want me to do. This time I'm doing what I want. There's no one here to tell us what side we're supposed to be on, what we're supposed to do. It's just us"

Hermione leaned up and kissed him.

A month later an owl arrived for Hermione. She read the letter. It was from Harry and Ron, who were concerned that she hadn't returned yet. She wrote a quick response that she was traveling and would return in a few months.

Two months later, Theo Nott showed up looking for Draco. Shocked to see his appearance, Theo wasn't sure what happened to Draco. He was more shocked to see Hermione there as well, except now she wasn't Hermione, she was Kat. And together, Draco and her were TomKat.

"There's nothing for me there, everywhere I go, they all look at me like I should be rotting in Azkaban with my father" Theo said

"You never took the mark" Draco said

"I didn't, but my father did, and everyone assumes that I did as well. I couldn't stay there anymore. All those eyes looking at me" Theo said

"You'll be fine here. No one really cares about that here"

"They're muggles"

"Yes, but we're also by the beach, and things are different here. They're more relaxed here"

"I can see why you want to stay here" Theo said looking at Hermione

"It's one of the many reasons here. Let's go for a swim"

"Now?"

"Yes, now, in the ocean, it will be the first thing you'll do in California"

Three months later Pansy shows up looking for Theo. She finds him at the beach with Draco. Both of them are shirtless, tan and in shorts. Draco is playing his guitar while Theo is laying on the sand. She is shocked to see her friends acting so relaxed and without a care in the world. Gone were the perfectly pressed oxford shirts, brushed and styled hair and they were so tan they were almost red and sunburnt in some areas. She looks and sees tattoos on Draco's body, a daffodil, covering up his dark mark and a palm tree on his ankle.

"Draco! Theo! What are you doing?!" Pansy yelled

"Pansy!" Theo said as got up to hug her, "How have you been?"

"Freezing in England while you've been tanning yourselves here" Pansy snapped

"Your pale skin could use some color Pansy" Draco said

"I thought Blaise was joking when he said he found you here. What are you a buskar now?" Pansy asked

"No, I play because I like to share my music with the world" Draco teased

"Shut up Draco!"

"Shh, his name is Tom now" Theo said

"Why are you two pretending to be beach bums?" Pansy

"We're not pretending, we are" Draco smiled

"Merlin what's happened to you?" Pansy asked

Four months later another owl arrived. There were two letters, one from Harry and one from Ron. Harry wanted to see how she was doing, and that Crookshanks was getting moody. Ron wanted to know when she was coming back. He said that he had found a flat and it was big enough for the both of them. Hermione sighed and answered them quickly and sent the reply. She looked back at Draco who was outside the bungalow playing guitar in front of a fire with Theo and Pansy next to him. Pansy had let her hair grow, finally growing out her bangs. She enjoyed the sun and the surfers there. Theo and her had moved into a nearby beach house and would visit often. She would wake up with Draco and swim in the ocean in the mornings. Draco would spend the afternoon teaching her how to skateboard, surf, or whatever new activity she wanted to try. Their nights would be filled with music, beers and stargazing. They would fall into bed together and wake up in the morning in each other's arms. They were happy, they were free to be themselves, they were Tom and Kat.

One year later, it wasn't an owl that arrived for Hermione, but her one of her best friends. Hermione opened the door without thinking and saw Harry standing there.

"Hermione!" Harry yelled as he hugged her

"Harry!" Hermione said as she hugged him back

"It's been so long, you know we missed you" Harry said

"I missed you, what are you doing here?" Hermione asked

"It's been a year Hermione, I thought you'd be done traveling by now, but it looks like you've settled in just fine here" Harry said looking around the bungalow

Hermione realized what Harry was doing. He was looking around for clues to what she had been up to. Draco left his clothes all over the bed. He was messy and would leave pieces of his songs all over the place.

"So, you're with some new bloke now? Were you going to let Ron know?" Harry asked

"It's been a year and Ron should have figured it out a long time ago" Hermione said

"You know Ron isn't the quickest to pick up on things. You have to tell him that you've moved on"

Hermione sighed. She didn't want to deal with Ron. She didn't want to deal with anything. She looked at the clock and realized Draco would be returning from the cafe where he picked up their lunches.

"Harry, you have to go, now" Hermione said pushing him towards the door

"What? Why?" Harry asked

"He, he doesn't know you're here, and-"

"Is he a muggle? Are you with a muggle? He doesn't know you're a witch does he?"

"You have to leave, I'll meet you later, please!"

"Are you ashamed of me? I am the chosen one after all" Harry said cheekily

"You have to go!"

Harry used his wand and disillusioned himself. He moved out of her grasp and Hermione began grabbing the air around her.

"Harry! Harry stop it! You have to go! You can't be here!"

"I want to see your muggle boyfriend"

"No! Harry you have to go!" Hermione went around the bungalow grabbing air looking for him

Draco walked in holding their lunches. His cap was covering his face as he put the bag onto the table. Hermione was still grabbing around for Harry.

"What are you doing?" Draco asked

Hermione turned around and saw Draco standing, looking at her as if she were crazy. He removed his hat and placed it on the table. She rushed over to him, but it was too late. Draco was sent flying against the wall with a stupify and slumped down. Harry disillusioned himself.

"Tell me I'm seeing things. Tell me this isn't Malfoy. Tell me Hermione!" Harry yelled

"He's Tom!" Hermione yelled

Hermione grabbed his wand and then walked over to Draco on the floor. She pointed it at his chest.

"Renervate" Hermione said

Draco gasped and sat up.

"What the bloody hell?" Draco said

Hermione threw her arms around him and held him against her chest. Draco looked up and saw Harry standing there.

"Potter" Malfoy seethed

Yes I'm a loud rude American if you're wondering.